Ko
by She of too Much Free Time
Summary: Everything has a beginning...


The Ranma ½ characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. The story plot belongs to me, as crappy as it is.

'Ko' 

"Why's momma crying?"

I look at my son, my only child. His clear blue eyes staring out at me from underneath his bangs, filled with concern.

"Oh, honey." I choke back a sob. He stands on his toes and wraps his little arms around my neck in a hug.

"What's wrong momma?"

"My little man." I murmur, wiping tears from my eyes in a vain attempt to stop the flow. He stops his hug, and begins to wipe away the tears I missed.

"Don't like momma crying." He states, wearing such a serious expression on his face. I can't help but smile at one so young having such an expression. But the smile only lasts a moment before the bitter taste of tears touches the corner of my mouth once more.

"Why'd momma go ta da hos-it-al?" He pronounces the last word slowly; once more sounding out this big word he's been hearing lots of the last few months.

It may take awhile, but my little man always seems to be able to figure things out. He's such a bright boy.

"Honey…Do you remember when momma and poppa told you that you were going to have a little sister?"

His eyes shone at this. He had been so excited. The last few months all he could talk about was how he couldn't wait to show his little sister around the house and neighborhood, and to show off all his toys to her. He had even hoped that he'd be able to train her to fight. But we told him that girls shouldn't fight, and that as a big brother he should be there to protect her from harm.

Lately my little man has been practicing so hard in order to become a good big brother. How could I tell him this without breaking his heart?

"Momma?" His little voice breaks through my thoughts.

How long had I been sitting there, lost in thought?

He wipes away some more tears from my eyes.

"…Momma?" He asks again, his voice sounding slightly scared.

"Oh, honey. Were not going to have the baby! We lost her…"

"Lost? Can we look for her?" He asked, hope shining in his innocent eyes.

"No, honey. I had a miscarriage." I burst into snobs again. 

"Mis-ar-age?" He looks at me confused.

"Ranko's gone, honey, Ranko's never going to come home. She's never…" I wrap my arms around my son and hug him as if he too would slip through my very fingers. Wetting his hair and cloths with my tears.

Soon I notice my clothing is also beginning to gather damp spots. Pulling back I notice tears streaming down his eyes as well.

"Is it my fault momma?"

I stare at him; I imagine with a look akin to that of deer caught in a headlight.

"Honey?"

"Was it 'cause I wasn't strong enough? 'Cause I still want ta train her, is that why she didn't wanna come home? Didn't she want me ta be her bigger brother? D-does she hate me?"

I stare at my sobbing child in shock before I snap back to reality and embrace him in a tight hug, my tears forgotten.

"Oh, no honey. No, no, no, no, no."

I rock him and myself back and forth, in a futile attempt to calm our fears.

"It's not you're fault honey. I'm sure- I know that she loved you with all her heart…Now, now. Stop that crying. See Mommy's stopped crying! And you should to, after all; men shouldn't cry."

I pull back and look at my little man. He rubs his eyes with his fists until the tears have stopped. Now only the drying trails the tears traveled on, and occasional hiccup is all that is left. 

"Momma." He begins in such a small voice, so unlike his usual loud voice overflowing with confidence.

"I'm gonna become the strongest man ever! And…and I'm never gonna lose anyone again! And then…maybe Ranko will want me ta be her bigger brother again and come home."

Once more my son has left me shocked. And once more I feel my tears over spilling.

"Oh, Ranma!" I hear myself snob, as I once more embrace my son.

"Don't worry Momma. Don't cry. I'm gonna become strong and Ranko will wanna come home. I'll come strong 'nough to protect her."

"Oh Ranma, my little man. My poor, poor, little man…"

"It's okay, Momma. Just wait an' see! I'll protect everyone! I'll make sure no one hasta cry again!"

And so I hugg my little boy, and cry on his shoulder.

I can find no words.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I just figured something out…I'm seriously depressing. Its just that there are so many 'Ranma has a sibling' stories out there. And I always wondered why Nodoka accepted Ranma's curse so easily. And while 'ko' is the obvious ending to tell as his name to Nodoka while he was 'in hiding' in Japan. In the English version it would leave people wondering "why 'ko', why not…'jo'?"

Though I think I've heard Ranma called himself something completely different in the anime, so you could say that this is more manga based….

I NEED A BETTA READER (and if you can find the mistake in this sentence, you could be the one to get this job!)

^^;;

I have too other stories posted, and no one to tell me how much of an idiot I am… I'd like to post corrected versions of the stories. And have someone check to make sure I did use all present tense in this one. I have a hard time finding my own mistakes. ^^;;;

I humbly ask for you're assistance *bows*


End file.
